Astronauts of Shenzhou 13 are coming home soon! Why did they use the Dongfeng aircraft for the landing site this time?

"The landing site system will play an important role during the landing of the return capsule. The system is responsible for the return measurement, search and find of the spacecraft's return capsule, and the rescue of astronauts." Pang Zhihao, chief scientific communication expert of national space exploration technology, said in an interview with reporters.

Countdown to Shenzhou 13's return home begins

Wang Yaping gradually "took off" while skipping rope, and demonstrated her "so happy before going home" with her strength... In recent days, a video about "What are the 'space business trip trio' busy with before going home?" has attracted attention, and people have left messages saying: "Welcome the three heroes home!"

On October 16, 2021, astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu entered the Tianhe core module on the Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft, becoming the second batch of astronauts to move into the Chinese space station.

During the approximately 180-day space flight, with the support of ground-based technical personnel, they successfully completed two extravehicular activities, two "Tiangong Classroom" space teaching activities, and carried out a number of scientific and technological experiments and application projects. Now, they are making intensive and orderly preparations for the return of the spacecraft, and will set off for home as planned in mid-April.

It is understood that this time the Shenzhou XII astronauts will no longer land at the Siziwangqi main landing site that was commonly used in the past, but at the secondary landing site, namely the Dongfeng landing site.

Compared with the return of the Shenzhou XII manned spacecraft, the biggest highlight of this time is the first use of a fast return plan, so the return of the Shenzhou XIII manned spacecraft will be a "fast and furious" show. According to the plan, the return speed may be faster, which means that the flight time in space may be shorter.

Q1

Why choose Dongfeng landing site?

The Dongfeng landing site located in Ejina Banner, Alxa League has diverse terrain, including deserts, Gobi, and mountains, basically covering all kinds of landing terrains that need to be tested, and its practical significance is very great.

Before it was officially put into use, the Dongfeng Landing Site had been used as a backup landing site for the Siziwang Banner Landing Site. On June 26, 2016, a scaled-down return capsule of a multi-purpose spacecraft carried by the Long March 7 carrier rocket returned to the Dongfeng Landing Site. This was the first time that the Dongfeng Landing Site was used in a manned space program. Since then, the Dongfeng Landing Site has been used more frequently.

At around 13:30 on September 17, 2021, the Shenzhou XII return capsule landed safely at the Dongfeng landing site, and the three astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo returned to the ground safely.

(Image source: CCTV.com)

Q2

Why Shenzhou XII and Shenzhou XIII

All choose to land at the Dongfeng landing site?

What are the advantages of Dongfeng Landing Field compared to Siziwangqi Landing Field?

● Only one search and rescue force is needed to meet the search and rescue mission requirements of each mission segment.

Bian Hancheng, deputy chief designer of the landing site system of China's manned space program, once introduced that by building the Dongfeng landing site based on the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and deploying a search and rescue force, it will be possible to perform a variety of search and rescue missions in each mission segment of launch, operation, and return. It can not only search and rescue spacecraft recovery capsules, but also search for rocket wreckage and complete the regular duty of astronaut emergency search and rescue missions.

The total area of ​​the Dongfeng landing site is about 13,000 square kilometers. The western area is mainly Gobi terrain, which is conducive to the passage of search and rescue vehicles; the eastern area has a more complex terrain, and the main terrain features include soft Gobi, Haloxylon ammodendron forest, saline-alkali land, grass lake, etc. It has the characteristics of vast territory and sparse population. The flat terrain is conducive to rapid search and landing of helicopters, and can achieve "cabin lands and people arrive".

(Image source: CCTV.com screenshot)

● Low construction and maintenance costs and strong search and rescue capabilities.

The Dongfeng landing site is filled with deserts, Gobi and mountains, and has the characteristics of low maintenance costs, convenient search and rescue, favorable treatment, stable climate, strong logistics support capabilities, and no impact on the local economy.

Relying on the human resources and measurement and control, communications, meteorology, medical, transportation and logistics support facilities and equipment of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, better coordinated utilization of resources can not only reduce the cost of landing site construction and maintenance, but also maintain strong search and rescue capabilities.

● It can drive and promote local economic development.

The Dongfeng landing site is located in the Gobi Desert, which is sparsely populated, with little grassland and arable land, and no large-scale economic development plan. The landing site will not only not affect the original local economic construction, but can also drive local economic development through the development of the aerospace tourism industry.

(View of the Dongfeng landing site from a helicopter perspective. Image source: Xinhuanet)

In order to successfully welcome back the three astronauts, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center search and rescue team, together with other search and rescue forces, recently conducted targeted drills at the Dongfeng landing site. Everything is now ready, waiting for the Shenzhou 13 astronaut crew to return safely.

One picture to understand

The "space memory" of the "business trip trio" in 6 months

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Go home, the Dongfeng landing site is ready!

Space technology exploration is full of challenges

Looking forward to the successful completion of the mission of Shenzhou 13

All staff in place

Waiting for return!

Comprehensive sources: Xinhuanet, CCTV News, China Science and Technology Network, the website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission, Alxa Radio and Television, Gansu Press, etc.